HI,
I am considering a conversion on my 74 350 from stock power steering to a power rack and pinion setup. Researching the Forum mostly produced threads of people goin g to do the change or people with parts that were NOT bolt on.

I would like to hear from someone who has finished the conversion. Does it really improve steering and did you find a kit with all the correct parts? I would like to get away from the leaky stock system.. Car is parked until the snow is gone. Just planning ahead.

Thanks,

Ray

 

I would like to know also

 

Hard to judge if it really improves steering.

My Steering box is worn out, ram was leaking and the tie rods were shot.

After I over hauled everything and added the Rack and Pinion it was a huge improvement. Was is because a R&P is better or because everything was new again.

Ratio is faster which is a plus. Turning radius is a little less, but no were near as bad as my Volvo.

 

My 69 had OEM p/s steering, switched to the Borgeson system to eliminate the lag in the steering . This car is a daily driver and this is an excellent upgrade. For the 6t8 which I use for a track car, with some road use which came with armstrong steering I converted to steeroids R&P p/s. Steering is very quick, you loose the road feel, very dependable. Easy install. I like it. T

 

I just finished installing the Flaming River R/P. I have Hooker S.S side mount exhaust and I had to cut #1 header tube and re-route it to get the steering linkage to line up. I also had to extend the passenger side inner tie-rod. I talked with Flaming River and they suspected they may have sent me a rack with the incorrect length inner tie-rods. Not much I could do except make an extender for the tie-rod. I live in Newfoundland, Canada, removing the rack/pinion and cradle and returning it was not an option for me. Once I got everything hooked up and took the car for a test run the difference was noticeable immediately. If I moved the steering wheel side to side the way I normally had too to try to keep the car straight, I am now weaving back and forth, the steering is very responsive but i did notice that the road feel is much less, very little to no effort to to turn the steering wheel. I think at highway speeds the steering will be very quick, something I will have to get use too. I see very little difference in the turning radius. Two turns from lock to lock. I have read both good and bad reviews with Flaming River. Steeriods seem to be the most used. The Borgeson power steering box is also a very good upgrade and probably the one with less headaches. I is also about half the cost of a R/P. I did a thread on my issues with the F/R install. should be still be close on the forum. Just my 2 Cents.
Clyde

 

Just about every sports car on the road is using R&P steering, its light weight and compact.

Vette Brakes and Products along with Steroids are two that have a complete kit.

I built my own as I am a DIY kind of guy.

I had my box custom built and it was heads over the stock unit but it is not a sports car steering system as the R&P is.

The large heavy steering boxes are what is used in trucks today, just about every car on the road along with the light duty trucks have converted to R&P.

In my opinion the feel is true to a sports car with the R&P installed.

The pump flow is rated for the box so if the feel is not what you want you can change the flow fitting and adjust the feel or you can purchase the adjustable flow valve and have unlimited adjustment to the feel of the system.

Neal

 

Thanks for the input. I do not have facilities to do the job myself. If I go ahead with it I would like a kit with all the right parts, so the mechanic isn't storing a disabled car while I ship parts. I still have stock exhaust which is slightly moved from stock due to Dart heads.. Should not be as much difference as headers. Do you think the loss of road feel is due to the power input. Would this be recoverable with the variable flow valve.

Thanks.

Ray

 

Have you considered the Borgeson kit? Many prefer it over the r&p kits.

 

Considering all brands. just trying to determine which is best. So far I have only head about Steeroids and FR. Does Borgerson make the full kit?

Ray

 

Yes, its documented that the rack takes less flow than the box.

Do a search on the net about rack flow valves and you'll get some good articles to read. You can also do a search on the power steering adjustable flow valve.

Neal

 

The Borgeson is not a Rack and Pinion. It is a replacement power steering box that eliminates the ram in the stock system. People who have them seem to like them.

I have a '74 with a "Rack Attack" kit on it. As others have mentioned the steering radius increased by a foot or two. it tracks straight and true.

I also have a '76 with a stock system in good condition. It also tracks straight and true but it has slightly more play in the steering wheel ... about a 1/2 inch. That isn't much. I suspect that as others have mentioned, a lot of the improvement comes from replacing worn parts.

I have autocrossed both the '74 and the '76 and under aggressive driving I really can't tell much difference in the two cars.

 

Replaced worn control arm bushings with poly bushings on my '74. Completely eliminated steering wheel play. My '80 with original bushings has a little play.

 

I have also rebuilt my control arm bushings with poly. My steering box was pretty shot although the PS control valve and piston were working fine. I installed a Borgeson box this year and the difference in steering is dramatic. Previous to the change I had no feel for the tires and excessive play in the steering. The car wasn't enjoyable to drive because it was always wandering and steering corrections were always either too much or too little.

With the Borgeson system I can feel the slightest movement in the tires and I can finally relax and enjoy driving the car. I don't know if the LS1 PS pump pressure is different than the stock PS pump but the steering effort is not under-or-overboosted. It feels like a low-effort manual steering system. Steering ratio is great - ~1/2 turn for a 90 degree corner.

The Steeriods system may have improved, but the earlier reviews regarding flexing brackets and fitment problems, as well as the high cost, turned me in the Borgeson direction.



Rick B.

 

Check out Unisteer R&P. That's what I'm going to install.

Good luck

 

I have a 70 and had the steering box professionally rebuilt.

I also replaced the idler arm and rebuilt all the power steering components.

The steering is excellent and very responsive. No play in wheel.

IMHO. If the original steering system and related components are correct, the feel and responsiveness will rival other options for a street driven corvette.

The next biggest improvement is to replace 15 tires with 17" wheels and tires/modern rubber.

Bill

 

I have had all 3 on my car, stock, Steeroids and now Borgeson. The stock system when rebuilt is good and provides adequate steering for most applications. I can't leave anything stock. I then I stalled a Steeroids. What a difference. The new car steering feel was there. I ran this for a few years and was very satisfied. I then I stalled a Borgeson box on a forum members car. After driving this car for a number of miles I really liked the system. So I bought one for my car. For one it really cleaned up the underside of the car and was a smaller system. The road feel honestly is about the same as Steeroids. Both very good. Either way you go will be a big advantage over stock. The Borgeson is a little cheaper and an easier I stall but the Steeroids or rack will provide many miles of nice steering.

 

What Gordonm said. Hey if it's good enough for Danny Popp's autocross wining Corvette must be a pretty good alternative to rack and pinion.

 

I will definitely take a look at the Borgerson system. Thanks.

Ray

 

I have had the Steeroids system on my '79 for about five or six years now. It is vastly superior to the stock system. Installation is straightforward with the exception of aligning the steering shaft. The Steeroids setup uses two universal joints to connect the steering shaft (from the steering wheel) to the rack. Getting these lined up properly is challenging and took me many hours. I also had one of the U-joints fail last year and had to be replaced. The part was expensive although Steeroids was good about supplying it. The U-joints are a bit Mickey Mouse and could benefit from a redesign but that is my only real complaint.

 

Bill,
I don't believe that's correct. The stock steering box has a 16:1 ratio, while the Borgeson box has a 12.7:1 ratio, so the "feel and responsiveness" WILL be different. As well, the modern box that Borgeson uses has a control valve at the input shaft that is responsive to steering wheel input and will apply boost in proportion to the effort applied. The stock system gives pretty much full boost at any steering wheel position, that is why owners of cars with a worn factory power assist are always fighting the steering on a winding road.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn